Trump Shuts Down Immigration Talks With Democrats Until Government Reopens

Image Credit: AP Photo/Alex Brandon

Original Article | Author: Diana Stancy Correll

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Saturday morning that the White House wouldn't negotiate with Democrats on immigration at all until they agree to keep the government open, a statement she delivered just after most Democrats voted against a last-minute continuing spending resolution.

“We will not negotiate the status of unlawful immigrants while Democrats hold our lawful citizens hostage over their reckless demands,” Sanders said. “This is the behavior of obstructionist losers, not legislators. During this politically manufactured Schumer Shutdown, the President and his Administration will fight for and protect the American people.”

“Senate Democrats own the Schumer Shutdown,” Sanders added. “Tonight, they put politics above our national security, military families, vulnerable children, and our country's ability to serve all Americans.”

Congress missed the deadline to avert a shutdown as most Senate Democrats and a few Republicans voted to block a temporary spending bill that would have authorized funding for the government until Feb. 16. The House approved the stopgap spending measure on Thursday.

Five Senate Democrats voted to support the bill, and five Republicans voted against it.

Republicans needed to find 60 votes to end debate on the House bill, but the final vote was 50-49, well short of that goal. One of the "no" votes was Senate Majority Leader McConnell, R-Ky., who voted against it because, procedurally, it lets him call it up again. A final passage vote would have only required a simple majority.

Democrats balked at the spending bill, because they are trying to include a provision in it to protect “Dreamers” covered by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which prevents those who came to the U.S. illegally as children from being deported.

Trump, who hours ago tweeted the situation was "not looking good for our great Military or Safety & Security on the very dangerous Southern Border," has not commented on the spending debate since.

The last time the government entered a shutdown was in 2013 under the Obama administration.